Dusting and spraying apparatus



Aug. 29, 1944. ROOT 2,356,950

DUSTING AND SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. '6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 PAL/ H 2. P007- ATTORNEY 5 1944. I R. R. ROOT 2,356,950

DUSTING AND SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. IPIQLPH R Poo?- 56.7 H MMW ATTORNEYJ Aug. 29, 1944. R, Roo-r 2,356,950

DUSTING AND SPRAYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. PflLPH A. Poor ATTORNEYS Aug. 29, 1944.

R. R. ROOT DUSTING AND SPRXYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 6, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 29, 1944.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DUSTING AND SPRAYING APPARATUS Ralph R. Root, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to The Root Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 6, 1941, Serial No. 405,666

' Claims. (Cl. 43-148) This invention relates to the treating of vegetation with insecticide and fungicide materials and more particularly to novel apparatus with which a combined spraying and dusting of the vegetation can be efiected.

My invention also aims to provide improved plant-treating apparatus embodying means for producing a stream of dust-laden air and directing the same toward the vegetation and also embodying means for atomizing a suitable liquid which will cause the dust to adhere to the vegetation and which may also have desirable planttreating characteristics.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus of this kind adapted to travel over or through the vegetation and embodying efficient means by which the dust and liquid can be atomized and directed toward the vegetation.

Still another object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus of this kind embodying a novel form of a dust-distributing and liquidatomizing nozzle.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved dusting apparatus in which novel means is employed for agitating the supply of dust contained in the hopper.

The invention may be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of the combined dusting and spraying apparatus of my invention and showing the same mounted on a trailer; V

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view taken through the apparatus as indicated by line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial end elevation of the dustfeeding apparatus with portions broken away to show the agitating means;

Fig. 5 is a detached view on a larger scale and partly in section further illustrating the dustagitating means;

Fig. 6 is a detached plan view of the agitating means;

Fig. '7 is a transverse sectional view taken through the agitating means as indicated by line 1-1 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation showing my novel dust-distributing and liquid-atomizing nozzle with portions thereof broken away;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the nozzle, viewed as indicated'by line 9-9 of Fig. 8, with certain adjacent structure shown in section;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the nozzle and adjacent structure;

Fig. 11 is a detail view partly in section showing the liquid-atomizing means;

Fig. 12 is a partial sectional view taken through one of the dust-distributing outlets as indicated by line I2-l2 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a plan view showing my combined dusting and spraying apparatus mounted on a tractor; and

Fig. 14 is a partial side elevation showing a control adjacent the drivers seat for controlling the dusting and spraying apparatus.

More detailed reference will now be made to the drawings for the purpose of describing the construction and operation of my improved plant-treating apparatus, but it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as limited to the particular forms of the apparatus herein illustrated inasmuch as the invention may be embodied in various other similar devices and arrangements.

In the present embodiment of the invention I show dusting and spraying apparatus which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, may be mounted on a trailer unit in adapted to be connected with a power-driven vehicle by a hitch II, or may be mounted directly on a power-driven vehicle or tractor as shown in Fig. 14. The trailer unit shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may comprise a platform or base l2 which is suitably mounted on a pair of wheels l3 and on which the various parts of the apparatus may be supported. The rear end of the unit 10 may have a projecting or overhanging frame ld supporting a sectional boom [5 which carries a plurality of spaced liquid-atomizing and dust-distributing nozzles IS. The apparatus carried by the unit in may also include a dust feeding and atomizing device [8, a liquidcontaining tank l9, and an air compressor 20. The dust feeding and atomizing device and the compressor can be driven from the motor of the power-driven vehicle, or when the apparatus is arranged on a trailer unit as shown in Figs. 1 and and 2, an internal combustion engine 2| may be used to drive the dust feeding device and the compressor.

The boom l5 which carries the nozzles I6 may comprise an intermediate section 15a connected with the frame I4 and a pair of end sections l5b having their adjacent or inner ends hinged to the intermediate section so that they can be swung upwardly whenever this is desirable to prevent interference with buildings, fences, or the like. The hinge connections between the sections, l5a and lib may be formed by suitable hinge plates 23 mounted on the sections and connected with each other by a hinge pin 24. The intermediate section l5a may be provided with upright members 25 which are slidable between guide members 23 carried by or forming a part of the frame l4 so that the boom can be adjusted upwardly or downwardly with respect to the ground. The apparatus shown in this instance is intended mainly for the treatment of ground crops, and the nozzles it are therefore mounted on the boom HS in laterally spaced relation so that they will direct the dust-laden air and atomized liquid downwardly toward the plants being treated.

The dust feeding and atomizing device l8 may be of any suitable type or construction and may comprise a hopper 21 adapted to contain a supply of dust and a blower 28 adapted to create a blast of air into which the dust is fed from the hopper. The blower delivers a plurality of streams of the dust-laden air through conduits 29 leading to the individual nozzles IS. The blower 23 may have a forwardly extending drive shaft 30 with a pulley 3| thereon, and may be driven from the engine 2| by a belt 32 extending around such pulley. An operator riding on the trailer unit may control or regulate the feeding of the dust from the hopper 21 into the blast of air by suitable control means actuated by the hand lever 33.

The tank l9 may contain a supply of oil or other suitable plant-treating liquid or solution which is supplied to the nozzles l6 through the piping 34 extending from the tank to the intermediate section I5a of the boom and through branch piping 35 extending outwardly along the boom sections I52) and having connections 35a to the individual nozzles. The feeding .of the liquid from the tank I! to the nozzles may be controlled by the operator by means of a valve 36 located in the piping 34.

The liquid may be forced out of the tank l9 by any suitable means, but is preferably discharged from the tank by introducing compressed air thereinto through piping 3! connecting the tank with the compressor 20. The piping 31 may have a pressure-reducing valve 38 therein which is set so that only a relatively low pressure will be maintained in the tank. This piping may also include a pressure gauge 39 and a control valve 40. The piping 31 communicates with the interior of the tank l3 through a perforated pipe 4| extending longitudinally within the tank adjacent the bottom thereof. The air entering the tank through the piping 31 will be discharged upwardly through the liquid in a plurality of streams, and this will serve as an agitating means for the liquid. From time to time the operator may open or partially open a valve 42 provided at the top of the tank, thus permitting some of the air to escape from the tank so that additional air will enter through the piping 31 and the perforated pipe 4| to agitate the liquid. A perforated baffle plate 43 may be arranged in the passage leading to the valve 42 to prevent liquid from being carried out of the tank with the escaping air.

In addition to the connections just mentioned above, the tank may also have a suitable filling opening 44 and a gauge glass 45'by which the height of the liquid in the tank may be observed. The delivery pipe 34 may extend into the tank to supplying air to the tank I9, it also supplies air to the nozzles it for atomizing the liquid.

The compressor may be connected with the nozzles It by a pipe 49 extending to the intermediate section |5a of the boom and through branch pipes 50 extending outwardly on the boom sections i517 and connections 5011 leading to the individual nozzles. A pressure gauge 5| may be mounted on the compressor or in the piping leading therefrom and may be arranged so that it can be readily observed by the operator.

To facilitate the feeding of dust from the hopper 21, it is desirable to agitate the dust to prevent the same from sticking to the walls of the hopper. A suitable mechanical agitating means 52 is usually provided in these hoppers and is arranged to be driven from the blower shaft 30 by a belt 53. In the present arrangement I use one or more air blasts in addition to such mechanical agitating means. The air blasts may be delivered into the hopper by nozzles or discharge devices 54 mounted on the wall of the hopper.

The air blast device 54 may comprise a cuplike member 55 secured against the outer face of the hopper 21, with a gasket 55a therebetween, so that the cup-like member surrounds an opening 56 formed through the hopper wall. A sheet or disk 51 of resilient material, such as rubber, may be clamped against the hopper wall so as to extend across the opening 56. This sheet or disk has a slit 58 therein through which air is blown from the cup member 55 into the mass of dust contained in the hopper. The resiliency of the rubber sheet permits the slit 58 to open sufllciently for the air stream to be directed into the mass of dust and causes it to be automatically closed against the escape of dust when the air stream is shut oif. In the apparatus here illustrated, I show two of the air-blast devices 54 on the hopper 21, although any desired number of such devices may be used. The air for agitation of the dust may be supplied from the compressor 20 through suitable piping 59 which extends into the cup members 55 and has very small discharge holes 590 therein.

The nozzles l6 constitute an important part of my dusting and spraying apparatus,'and these will be described next. As best shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10, the nozzles i6 comprise a, hollow body having a tubular portion I5a with which one of the conduits 29 leading from the blower 23 may be connected, and a pair of diverging tubular outlets or spouts l6b which direct the dustladen air toward the vegetation. The provision of the two outlets l6b on each nozzle in divergent or inverted-Y arrangement is an important feature in obtaining a desired distribution of the dust, as will be later explained. The outlets l5b may be of any suitable size or shape and, as shown in this instance, may be rectangular in form and may be somewhat tapered. Each of to increase the range or coverage area of the nozzles. V

In addition to directing the dust-laden air toward the vegetation, the nozzles l6 also serve to atomize the liquid being supplied from the tank l9, as mentioned above. For this purpose I provide a liquid-atomizing means 8| adjacent each of the dust outlets Hib and these atomizing means or devices are also disposed in what may be called a divergent or inverted-Y arrangement. This atomizing means may comprise a liquid passage or tube Glb and an air passage or tube Ha arranged to extend side. by side so as to have a common wall or separating partition Sic therebetween. The liquid tube or passage Gib has a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 62 therein, and the common wall or partition Glc has a plurality of relatively smaller openings 63 formed therein and spaced therealong so that they will lie substantially opposite the openings 62. The compressed air supplied to the tubes or passages 6 la is directed by the openings t3 across the liquid tube or passage Glb and out through the openings 62 of the latter. These air streams pick up or entrain liquid from the tube or pas sage 61b, and carry the same out into the atmosphere, and at the same time, atomize the liquid and direct or distribute the same into the streams or clouds of dust-laden air being discharged by the outlets lib.

As shown in Fig. 9, a pair of the air and liquid tubes Sid and Bib formingthe liquid-atomizing means 5| is located just above the discharge opening of each of the outlets lGb, and, as shown in Fig. 8, the portionsof these tubes forming the atomizing means may be soldered or otherwise connected together and may be curved or bent to a bowed or arcuate shape so as to obtain a desired distribution or direction of discharge for the atomized liquid. The two air tubes Gla of the nozzle I6 may be connected with a small chamber 65 mounted on one side of the nozzle,

and similarly, the two'liquid tubes 8lb may be connected with a small chamber 66 on the opposite side of the nozzle. The chamber 85 may be connected with the air supply pipe 50 by the connection 58a and the chamber 86 may be connected with the liquid supply pipe 35 by means of the connection 35a. The outer ends'of the air and liquid tubes Gla and Glb may be closed by screw plugs 89 which can be removed whenever desired to permit the tubes to be blown out for cleaning purposes.

The nozzles i6 may be' mounted on the boom 65 or on any other desired support by any appropriate connecting means. In this instance, I show each nozzle provided with an angular mounting bracket or clip 'll) which can be conveniently connected to the boom or other support by a bolt II. It will be noted that the nozzles iii are mounted on the boom l5 so that the'diverging dust outlets Nib and the divergently disposed atomizing means 6| extends in a longitudinal or fore-and-aft direction with respect to the direction of travel of the unit W. This is a very important feature of my apparatus because it results in a more thorough application of the dust and spray to the various parts and surfaces of the plants. As the unit l0 travels forward and the nozzles l6 approach the plants, the leading dust outlet I61: and atomizing device 6| of each nozzle discharge their streams of dust and spray in an inclined downwardly and forwardly extending direction which causes the dust and spray to strike the underneath portions of the plants and foliage as well as their upper portions and particularly on the sides of the plants from which the nozzles are approaching. As the nozzles move away from the plants, the trailing dust outlets I81: and atomizing devices 8| discharge similar inclined streams of dust and spray downwardly and backwardly against the plants from the side opposite to that mentioned above and again the dust and spray strike the underneath portions of the plants as well astheir upper portions.

In treating vegetation with my improved apparatus the dust and liquid are atomized separately by the devices l8 and BI but the dustladen air discharged from the nozzle outlets lib and the atomized liquid become thoroughly mingled in streams or clouds which are directed toward the vegetation with considerable velocity causing the mixture to reach and impinge against substantially all parts and surfaces of the vegetation. The atomized liquid forms a light or thin film or coating on the plant surfaces which causes the dust particles to adhere firmly.

In Fig. 13 I show my combined dusting and spraying apparatus mounted directly on a powerdriven vehicle or tractor 15. The tractor may be of a. well known construction having propelling wheels 16 connected with the drivingengine I1 and having a drivers seat or station 18 with various vehicle controls adjacent thereto, 1

including a steering wheel 18. The tractor may also have a plurality of power take-off connections or pulleys 80 and 8| thereon.

My -dusting and spraying apparatus as applied to the tractor 15 is similar to the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and includes an air compressor 82, a dust-atomizing device 83, and a tank 84 adapted to contain a, quantity of the oil or other liquid to be atomized. The air compressor may be mounted on a suitable bracket 85 and may be driven from the power take-off pulley 88 by the belt 86. The dust-atomizing device 83 may be mounted on a platform or shelf 81 and may be driven from the power take-off pulley 8! by means of the belts 88 and 89 and the counter-shaft 98. The tank 84 may be suitably supported beneath the platform or shelf 81. In addition to the units already mentioned,'this form of my combined spraying and dusting apparatus also includes atransverse boom 9| suitably supported at the rear of the tractor by an auxiliary frame 92 and carrying a plurality of laterally spaced liquid-atomizing and dust-distributing nozzles 93 which are substantially identical with the nozzles l8 of Figs. 1, 2, and 9.

The dust-atomizing device 83 is similar to the dust atomizer l8 and includes a blower 95 having a plurality of flexible conduits 96 extending therefrom to the respective nozzles 93 for supplying dust-laden air to the latter. The compressor 82 supplies liquid-atomizing air to the nozzles 93 through the pipes 91 and 98. Air is also supplied by the compressor to the tank 84 through the pipe connection 99 for agitating the liquid in the tank and also for creating a pressure within the tank to force liquid therefrom through the piping 100 ,to the nozzles 93. The compressor may also supply air to the dust atomizer 83 through a pipe connection llii for agitating the dust in the hopper of this device by means of one or more air blast devices such as the device 84 above described. The piping connected with the tank 84 may also include presdriving the tractor.

lines 01 and I00, 9. pressure-reducing valve I03, and a strainer unit I04.

For controlling the operation of this modified form of my combined spraying and dusting apparatus, I provide a control lever I06 adjacent the driver's seat IQ for controlling both the delivery oi atomized dust by the device 83 and the delivery of liquid from the tank 84 to the nozzles 03. The lever I06 is conveniently accessible to the driver and can be manipulated by him while The lever I08 is connected with a control or actuating member of the dustatomizing device 83 by means of a link I01 and is also connected with a control valve I08 located in the piping I by means of a link I09. As shown in Fig. 14, the lever I06 has a pivotal mounting H0, and when swung in a forward direction to engage the pin III in the slot II2, a pulling force will be applied to both of the links I01 and I09 to cause atomized dust and liquid to be supplied to the nozzles 93.

Since the nozzles 93 are substantially identical in construction and purpose with the nozzles I6 above described, no further explanation is needed in connection therewith.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings it will now be readily seen that I have provided improved dusting and spraying apparatus with which dust-laden air and atomized liquid can be rapidly and efllciently applied to growing vegetation in a manner such that the dust and spray will reach the underneath portions of the plants as well as their up per portions and such that the atomized liquid will be thoroughly mixed with the dust-laden air and will cause the dust to adhere firmly to the vegetation.

While I have illustrated and described my improved dusting and spraying apparatus in a more or less detailed manner, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited to the particular apparatus herein disclosed but regard my invention as. including such changes and modifications as do not constitute a departure from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a vehicle having thereon means for producing a stream of dust-laden air, a nozzle having downwardly diverging spouts for discharging the dustladen air, liquid atomizing devices arranged adjacent said diverging spouts so as to direct atomized liquid into the dust-laden air, and means for supplying liquid to said atomizing devices, said nozzle being mounted on the vehicle with one of its diverging spouts extending downwardly and forwardly and the other extending downwardly and rearwardly so as to direct an inclined stream of the dust-laden air downwardly and forwardly toward plants being approached by the nozzle, and a second inclined stream downwardly and rearwardly toward the same plants as the nozzle moves away.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a nozzle for discharging dust-laden air, and a liquid-atomizing device arranged to direct atomized liquid into the dust-laden air discharged by said nozzle, said atomizing device having coextending air and liquid supply passages separated by an intervening wall, the liquid supply passage having a plurality of discharge openings spaced therealong and the air supply passage having a plurality of openings arranged to discharge air across the liquid supply passage and through the spaced openings of the latter. I

3. In apparatus of the character described, a nozzle having a laterally elongated opening for discharging dust-laden air, and a liquid-atomizing device extending along one side of said opening, said atomizing device comprising air and liquid supply tubes having a common wall therebetween, the liquid supply tube having a row of discharge openings spaced therealong and said common wall having a row of openings arranged to discharge air across the liquid supply tube and through the first-mentioned row ofopenings.

4. In apparatus or the character described, a nozzle having a laterally elongated opening for discharging dust-laden air, and a liquid-atomizing device extending along one side of said opening, said atomizing device comprising air and liquid supply tubes having a common wall therebetween, the liquid supply tube having a row of discharge openings spaced therealong and said common wall having a row of relatively smaller openings arranged to discharge air across the liquid supply tube and through the first-mentioned row of openings.

5. In apparatus for treating plants, a vehicle, a plurality of nozzles on said vehicle each comprising a pair of'divergent outlets for atomized dust and a pair of divergently disposed liquidatomizing devices, means for supplying atomized dust to said outlets, and means for supplying air and liquid under pressure to said liquid-atomizing devices, said nozzles being mounted with the divergent outlets and atomizing devices'extending forwardly and rearwardly so as to direct intimately mixed atomized dust and atomized liquid in an inclined direction toward the plants as they are being approached by the nozzles and again toward the same plants as the nozzles move therefrom.

RALPH R. ROOT. 

